Data Protection – All Change

Personal data about all of us is held by employers, companies and others. The Data Protection Act 1998 provides protection for that data.

In 2010 it was announced that penalties for breach of the legislation may rise to £500,000 and the registration fee has already risen this year for bigger companies from £35 a year to £500. Businesses are being advised to ensure they are up to date with all their data protection issues? With the big new penalties coming up it may be worth businesses having a data protection check.

We can look at your practices, advise your HR and marketing departments and check the privacy policy on your web site for compliance with the law.

Also if you export data outside the EU you need to consider the special rules which apply. In February 2010 the EU issued new model clauses for data processors which replace an earlier version. They apply and can be used where a company exports “personal data” about living individuals outside the EU and want to do so within the law and in compliance in the UK with the Data Protection Act 1998 and throughout the rest of the EU the national legislation which implemented the EU data protection directive. Contracts entered into from 15th May 2010 should include these clauses.